Combined station-indicator and signaling apparatus for railway-trains



(No Model.) I I J. H. BIOKPORD.

COMBINED STATION INDICATOR AND SIGNALING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY TRAINSV P atentd Apr. 24, 1888.

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U TTED STATns PATENT Genres,

JOEY H. BIGKFORD, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

COMBINED STATiON-iNDlCATOR AND SIGNALING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY-TRAINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0.381,669, dated April 2%, 1888.

Application filed November 26, 1886. Serial No. 219,946. (X0 modcli) To (025 whom, it ill/(Ly concern:

Be it known that 1, Joan H. BIOKFORD, of Salem, county of Essex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in n.0ombined Station-Indicator and Signaling Apparatus for Railway-Trains, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspeciticatiomlike letters on the drawings representing likeparts.

This invention has for its object to provide atrain of cars with an electric-circuit stationindieator included in the circuitwhich shall display a suitable sign to visually indicate the next station, and which may be operated from a distant point-as from the locomotive, for instance to display oneindication or sign after another, and with signaling apparatus, also included in the circuit, whereby an audible alarm-such as a bell located in the engine-cab-1nay be operated by controlling devices located upon the train to indicate to the engineer when to start or stop the train.

In accordance with this invention two statioirindicators, preferably of the class shown and described in application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 219, 919, filed by me November 26, 1886, are placed in each car, one at each end, and connected in circuit with suitable batteries. Suitable switches are provided, whereby one or the other indicator of each car is cut out of circuit, so that only that indicator at-Jthe front end of the car will remain in circuit. A circuit-controller is placed in the engine-cab or at some other convenient place for effecting the operation of the indicators of each car, or that one which remainsin circuit. Suitable circuit controllers are also placed within or upon the cars, connected in ground terminals or branchesjoined to the main line, and an audible alarm is located within the engine-cab, also connected in a ground terminal or branch connected with the main line, so that when any circuitcontroller within the car is operated the audible alarm within the engine-cab will respond. The audible alarm employed within the engine cab is set in operation by a motor which is released by an electaro-magnet, and the said motor is preferably wound up by a cord or chain connected with one of the levers which is operated by the ensignaling devices embodying this invention;

Figs. 2 and 3, details of the alarm located within the enginecab referred to; Fig. 4, a longitudinal section of one-half of the coupling, and Fig. 5 a side elevation and partial section of one of.the connecting devices for connecting a terminal of the line outside with a terminal of the line inside the car.

Two station-indicators, a; a, are placed one at each end of the car A, such station-indicators preferably being constructed as shown and described in the application above referred to. These station-indicators contain a series of cards or signs suit-ably lettered to indicate the next station, and are arranged to be moved to present one or another sign at a suitable display-opening, the mechanism employed to move the indicators being controlled by an electro-magnet.

Two open battery-lines,2 8,pass through the car, each containing a suitable battery, as45. The indicator (2 is connected with the batteryline 2 and the indicator a with the batteryline 3, and suitable switches, 6 7, are employed for cutting in and out the said indicators, in order that the indicator at the forward end of the car may always be utilized and the indienter at the rear end of the car out out. The battery-lines extend through several cars of the train, and also to the engine-cab, being joined by suitable couplings, to be described. In the engine-caba circuit-controller (shown as a push-button, b) is arranged to connect the two lines 2 3 when operated, so that the engineer can by moving the circuitcontroller cause the station-indicators to operate.

If it should be desired that the brakeman or other train-hand should operate the stationindicators, the circuit-controller b will be located at a convenient locality for him to do so.

Two ground terminals or branches, 8 9, are joined one to each line 2 3,and another ground terminal or branch, 12, leads from the line 2 within the engine-cab. The ground branch 12 contains an audible alarm or bell, B, and the ground branches 8 9 each contain a circuit-controller, herein shown as a push-button, 0, so that when the circuitcontroller c is operated a ground-circuit is formed over a portion of the battery-line, causing the audible alarm within the engine cab to operate. The ground branches 8 9 are each provided with aswitch, 13 14, to. break them when desired. The switches 13 let are preferably joined to the switches 6 7, to thus form a four-point switch, so that both switches may be moved at one op.-

eration to cut in or out one or the other indi-v cator, and also a ground-terminal.

The two lines 2 3 of each car are joined with the corresponding lines of the next car and with the engine-cab by couplings, herein shown as composed of two like halves or portions, one of which is shown in sectional view, Fig.

4. This half or portion consists of an insn-.

lating block or frame, 0, having a metal cap or end piece, 0". The portion 0 is provided with a metal pin, 0*, screwed into the metal socket c, said pin 0* having a conical point, against which the terminals of the line 3 bear. The portion 0 also has a metal socket, 0, provided at its interior with two flat springs, 0, one at each side, and also with a metal block, 0 securely fitted into the socket, the said block 0 having a conical-pointed screw, c", or pin, against which the terminal of the line 2 bears. A metal contact-piece, a is secured to the block 0, it extending laterally to bear upon the shoulder formed upon the block or socket c.

A pin, (1, is fitted intothe block 0, it having an insulated end portion, d, which, when the two halves or portions of the coupling are placed together, bears against the contactspring 0" and removes it from the shoulder formed upon the socket c to break the contact between the block 0 and the socket c.

The companion half of the coupling is arranged like the half or portion just described; but when in operation its position is reversed, so that the pin corresponding with the pin 0* enters between the springs c ofthe socket c" and thepin 0* enters between the springs of the other half corresponding to the springs c.

The lines 273 of each car are provided at each end with one half or portion, as C, ofthe coupling, and arranged reversely with relation to each other, so that each battery-1ine,

including an indicator, is connected, with the pin 0* and the corresponding socket of each portion of the coupling. By following out this arrangement it will be seen that the couplings may be joined between any two cars irrespective of their position, and as the groundterminal, which is in circuit at the time the ling, towhich is connected the-terminal of the line containing the indicator which is cut out,

a groundcircuit may always be formed upon operating the circuit-controller within the car.

When one half of the coupling is at the rearmost end of the train and no companion half to couple to it, the pin d permits the spring 0 to bear upon the shoulder formed upon the block or socket c, to thus complete the two lines 2 3.

The point of connection of the line from the exterior to the interior of the car consists of a connectingdevice, shown as a hollow or tubular receiver, 0, having a flange, 0, by which the receiver is secured to the exterior of a car. A connector, shown as a short plug, 0 having a shouldered end 0, is attached to one terminal of the line, said plug entering the receiver 0 and bearing against a spring, 0, while a pin, 0 secured to the plug 0, enters a slot, 0, to thereby fasten the connector to the receiver. Thewire within the car passes through and bears against the face of the flange 0, so

suitable striking-lever to a gong, such an aud-ible alarm consisting of a shaft, n, one end of which is screw-threaded, as at n, and turns in a socket or bearing, 11?, while the other end has a spline, 12 which follows in a guideway cut in a sleeve, 42, secured to a shaft, n, mounted to rotate in suitable bearings, said shaft having attached to it the main spring a The shaft it also has secured to it a ratchettoothed drum, n, provided with a smooth-sure faced hub, if. A wheel, a, is secured to the sleeve 'nfior to the shaft to which the sleeve is attached, said wheel having pins or studs 72*, which normally bear upon one end of the toothed strikinglever a the opposite end'of the striking-lever carrying the hammer n,

which strikes the gong n.

A suitable upright, m, pivoted to a baseph, carries a loosely-pivoted spring-controlled pawl, m, which engages the teeth of the drum n, the under side of the said pawl having a cam-surface, m", which bears upon the upper end of a standard, m,- or it may bear upon a friction-roller carried by said standard.

The function of the standard W and the cooperating cam is to retain the pawl m? nor mally disengaged from the ratchet-toothed As the lever m? maybe operated manytimes, means are provided to prevent winding the motor too tightly, such means consisting of a drum, n provideded with a smooth-surfaced hub, n, so that as the shaft 92 is rotated and moved into the sleeve a the pawl will finally bear upon said hub n, and with the pawl in this position the lever can be moved as many times as desired without further ro tating the shaft or.

By employing a round circuit and ground terminals or branches, as shown and described, less battery is required, and also the cost of wiring reduced, and any accident to the circuit is quickly apparent.

In another application filed by me, Serial No. 239,756, an electro mechanical bell is shown, embodying a motor, a striking-lever operated by it, a releasing device, and a winding device for the motor, and a disengaging device for throwing out the winding device, and means for moving the winding device to wind the motor automatically, so that I do not herein broadly claim such devices.

I claim- 1. A signaling system for railway-trains, which consists ofan electric circuit and stationindicators, substantially as described therein, and a circuit'controller for operating the station indicators, combined with an audible alarm located upon the engine and connected in a ground branch or terminal joined to the main circuit, and a circuit-controller located within or upon the car, also connected in a ground branch or terminal joined to the main line for operating the audible alarm, substantially as described.

2. In a signaling system for railway-trains, a main electric circuit and station-indicators placed within the cars and connected with the circuit, and acircuit-controller, also connected with the circuit, for operating the stationindicators, combined with an audible alarm, also connected with the circuit, but responsive to 1 current changes of difiterent character from that employed to operate the station-indicators, and circuitchangers for operating the audible alarm, substantially as described.

3. In a signaling system for railway-trains, an electric circuit composed of two batterylines, as described, and two indicators located within a single car and placed one in each line, combined with a switch for cutting out the rearmost indicator of the car, substantially as described.

at. In a. signaling system for railwaytrains, two station-indicators in each car and circuit controllers therefor connected in a round circuit, an audible alarm located at or upon the cluded in ground terminals or branches leading from the round circuit,coinbined with couplings for connecting the lines of one car with the corresponding lines of the next car to continue the circuit, all substantially as described.

5. In an electric circuit having ground-terminals, as described, two station-indicators and a circuit controller therefor, an audible alarm and a circuit-controller therefor, and switches for simultaneously cutting out the rearmost indicator and ground-terminal, combined with couplings for connecting the lines with corresponding lines to continue the circuit, substantially as described.

6. A coupling device for connecting electric circuits, which consists of two like halves or portions, each consisting of an insulating block, 0, having metal sockets 0 0*, a pin, 0*, fitted into one of the sockets and contactsprings secured within the other socket, the terminals of the lines making electrical connection through the sockets, substantially as described.

7. A coupling device for connecting electric circuits, which consists of two like halves or portions, each consisting of an insulatingblock, C, having metal sockets 0 0 a pin, 0*, fitted into one of the sockets and contactsprings secured within the other socket, and a contact spring or strip, 0 substantially as described.

8. A coupling device for connecting electric circuits, which consists of two like halves or portions, each consisting of an insulatingblock, 0, having metal sockets c a, a pin, 0*, having the conical point against which one terminal of the wire bears, said pin being fitted into one of the sockets and contact-springs secured within the other socket, and a conicalpointed screw, a against which another ter' minal of the wire bears, substantially as described.

9. In an electric circuit, the bell B, consist ing of motor and laterally-movable windingshaft for winding it, the ratchet-toothed drum having the smooth-faced hub of, the pawl for rotating the shaftto wind the motor, combined with an electromagnet for releasing the motor, and a striking-lever operated by the mo tor when released, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed myname to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN H. BICKFORD.

Witnesses:

BERNIOE J. Novas, F. L. EMERY.

ICC 

